AU vs. VMI

Should I go to Anderson University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or VMI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Clemson Virginia Tech JMU Annapolis North Greenville University Washington and Lee Citadel Military College of South Carolina Lander University Winthrop University Mason Furman CSU
Anderson University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
Anderson University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
Anderson University Virginia Military Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 AU VMI
Location Anderson, SC Lexington, VA
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 4,325 1,560
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #759 #175
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website andersonuniversity.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU VMI
Tuition (In State) $32,710 $10,076
Tuition (Out of State) $32,710 $40,778
Room & Board $12,290 $10,990
Avg Net Price $22,222 $17,229
Avg Grant Aid $25,586 $13,735
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 81%

Admission

 AU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,732 1,171
Admitted 2,499 957
Acceptance Rate 52.8% 81.7%
Enrolled % 34% 49%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 22/28
SAT Range 1090/1290 1040/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 AU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (37%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 AU VMI
Graduation Rate 48% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,500 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,862 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

 AU VMI
% Men 9% 61%
% Women 12% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 80%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 AU VMI
% In-State 68% 63%
% Out-of-State 31% 35%

Campus

 AU VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Anderson University is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (4,325 students vs. 1,560 students)

AU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or VMI?

  • Anderson University is 224.6% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($32,710.00 vs. $10,076.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.7% higher at VMI than Anderson University ($40,778.00 vs. $32,710.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than AU ($17,229 vs. $22,222)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 11.8% lower than costs at Anderson University ($10,990 vs. $12,290)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Anderson University than Virginia Military Institute (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Anderson University students is 86.3% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($25,586 vs. $13,735)

AU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or AU .

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 61 points higher than at AU (1078)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at AU (24)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than AU (52.8%)

AU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or VMI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VMI and AU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Anderson University (69% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $24,600 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $37,500)
  • Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $1,862 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,862)
  • VMI graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/